The Golden Lily
by ToBeAnnouced
Summary: This is my version of how I think The Golden Lily will go, taking place after the first chapter of The Golden Lily, which has LEGALLY been released online. google it, you'll find it. I read it on . You MUST read that to understand this fanfiction.


Chapter 1

I tried to put on a calm face as we walked from the room and started up the cold, concrete tunnel. Mr. Darnell's words unnerved me, and I began to feel claustrophobic in the old war bunker. I tried my best to match Zeke's pace, but I felt myself hurrying to get above ground again. My breathing was hitched, and I was scared out of my mind. Surely I could be friendly to a few Moroi without losing my mind like that man, Liam. But I could not stop thinking about what Mr. Darnell said: _You understand what responsibility and duty are. _

I still heard Liam's screaming laughter echoing in my mind as I thanked Zeke and walked from the old building out to the blue sedan I had rented for this trip. I suddenly remembered something that Liam had told me:_ You alchemists pull your strings and think you control everything. You delude yourselves. You control nothing. You _are_ nothing._ The words echoed in my mind, right next to the crazy laughter of the wanna-be Strigoi.

No. I knew that I would never sink to Liam's level. I had grown to care for Jill, Eddie, and Adrian, and I was even fond of Angeline, but I knew that human was all I would ever want to be. I might have been blurring the lines between friendship and duty, but I knew I would stay loyal to the Alchemists. But I also knew that I would help keep my friends safe, vampires or not. I quickly drove back to the small Virginian airport, determined to make it back to California before nightfall.

Sadly, that plan was shot down as soon as I got to the airport. My original flight had been cancelled due to the storm, and I had to get a ticket for a flight that left tomorrow afternoon. On the Brightside, I had managed to score first-class.

Let me just say, out of all the places I've been, Virginia is the worst. It was probably just the storm, but I felt terrible. The road-side motel I was staying at was damp and dirty, with huge water marks on the ceiling and in the corners. I was trying to fall asleep but I couldn't stop imagining bugs in the sheets and chalk-lines under the bed. I shuddered.

Rain pelted against the single window and lighting streaked the sky. Each time I started to get tired, thunder would crack and I would jolt up, wondering what had happened. I officially hated storms. I found myself actually missing Palm Springs extreme heat and dry climate.

I thought about a lot of things, wondering how Jill was handling school, if Adrian and Dimitri had had a showdown yet. If it hadn't happened already, it soon would. Of course, I could see where both of them were coming from. Adrian had done everything Rose had asked, just for her to throw it back in his face and run off with a fellow guardian, but the love Dimitri had for Rose was undeniable. But then, Dimitri had walked into Adrian's apartment and acted like nothing was wrong, barely acknowledging that Adrian was there at all. I believed that Rose belonged with Dimitri, but it wasn't right for her to lead Adrian on, especially since he was too far gone to realize she was just going to drop him as soon as Dimitri came back. I honestly felt sorry for Adrian. He wasn't a saint by a long shot, but he didn't deserve that. No one did.

I guess I must've fallen asleep some time during the night because the next morning I awoke to my phone ringing. I immediately snapped into business mode.

"Hello?" I answered briskly, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hey," I heard Jill say on the other line.

"Jill, what's wrong?" I was immediately worried. Had someone been hurt? Kidnapped? I had been gone for roughly twenty-four hours, they couldn't have already messed something up, could they've? Of course, Adrian was extremely stressed from Dimitri's presence, meaning that Jill was, too, leading to Eddie worrying, add Angeline's unflinching ability to make you slightly uncomfortable and Abe's meddling, and yeah, I would say we could have a pretty big disaster on our hands.

"Oh, nothing," Jill said, "I just thought you were gonna be back yesterday, I just wanted to know if anything had happened."

Oh. "Oh, yeah Jill, I'm fine, everything's alright, my flight just got cancelled so I had to book one for this afternoon." I glanced at the alarm clock. It was 1:22, and my flight left at three. I was surprised I had slept in so late, but given how long it took me to fall asleep, it really wasn't that strange.

"Oh, okay, I'll tell Adrian you're alright. He was really worried." I'm sure he was.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay," she said back.

"Well, I'll, uh, see you soon," I said. I didn't really want to hang up but there was nothing else to say, and I wasn't one for small talk.

"Yeah, okay, see you," Jill replied. I could hear the disappointment in her voice, but I didn't know what I could do to help. Eddie was better at comforting, and Adrian better at making her laugh. I was just there to make sure everyone stayed alive, and if they didn't, well, then to file the correct paperwork.

I hung up.

Going through security and getting on the plane presented no problems this time around, and I was thankful. I hadn't had time for coffee, so I was in a particularly foul mood, and I didn't like to eat or drink while flying, so I didn't ask for any. This was going to be a long flight.


End file.
